Ways to connect during a crisis

The Pandemic Disconnect

The Pandemic has certainly changed how we live and interact.  For some people, the effects have been profound. At More Than Paper, we have co-workers who haven’t seen their families in 4 months – which is much longer than they’ve ever gone before! It’s hard.  It’s sad. It’s unfamiliar. But right now, staying away and keeping distance will help protect family members in the long run.  So we do the hard, sad, and unfamiliar things anyway. 

But what happens when your family has a milestone or deserves a celebration, and you can’t do things like you always have? We have a few ideas to help continue to celebrate and connect during the crisis. Sure, it’s not the same as it was before – but with these tips and tricks, you CAN find ways to connect and celebrate with the ones you love.

Driveaway Drive-bys

It’s your grandfather’s birthday but you can’t continue your tradition of Olive Garden followed by Baskin Robbins? Consider a driveway drive-by.  You’ve likely seen this on the news, or in your social media feed, but it’s a great way to plan a party – safely.  Grandpa sits outside on the driveway and then all the family members and friends drive by in their cars.  Consider ordering a Happy Birthday, Grandpa banner to make it extra special. More Than Paper has plenty of options from which to choose! 

Send A Care Package

Create a care package to send to loved ones, letting them know that you’re thinking of them. A handwritten note, their favorite chocolate, a box of their favorite tea or bag of their favorite coffee, a good book and/or some magazines are just a few ideas to include.  A thoughtful, handwritten note is something that they’ll cherish and really brighten their day.  When was the last time you got an actual letter in the mail?  We have plenty of stationery designs-check out your options! 

Maximize Digital Options

If there was ever a “good” time to have a pandemic, this arguably might be better than previous years. Definitely better than the Spanish Flu era! With the internet, there are dozens of ways to connect and stay in touch.  We have seemingly tried them all with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Blue Jean, Google Hangouts, and more.  Try them all on and see which you like best!  FaceTime helps, too.

Keep Some Normalcy

Were you planning on attending a wedding that got postponed this summer? You are not alone. Try to keep some normalcy and help the bride and groom celebrate.  Though their wedding might not have happened as they wish, they still deserve to be celebrated.  Send them a card with a thoughtful note, or send them a gift.  Be sure to check out our gift options on the site! And it’s not just weddings. Baby showers, births, bachelorette parties, bachelor parties, engagement parties, graduation parties – all of the big life events have been affected. Whenever possible, try to keep normalcy by finding ways to celebrate those people. Even if it is a quick note or small gift.   We think these cute pads are great to give to let your loved ones know you are thinking of them. 

Surely this has been a challenge like we have never faced before, but if we are creative, we will come up with new and exciting ways to connect with those that we love, while keeping everyone safe.  What ideas have we missed?  Comment or share on Facebook what you are doing to stay connected right now!

DIY Summer Camp At Home

Alternative Camp Ideas for 2020

I think we can all can agree that 2020 has thrown us an incredible curve ball. Never before have plans and the future seemed so uncertain. People are thrown from their normal routines.  School was a challenge no matter which way you sliced it. Many vacations are completely cancelled.  You can’t fly to Europe. Some of us still can’t work inside the workplace (though some people aren’t complaining).  Everything is so….unknown.

One of the hardest pills to swallow (for us) is that summer camp has been cancelled.  At More Than Paper, we are huge advocates for sleep away summer camp! Our children have attended for many years, we attended when we were younger, and we even still have involvement in camp today.  All of this has not only hurt our hearts but also our business.  We provide camp stationery, post-cards, clothing labels, trunk tags, and seal and sends. Have you seen all that we have to offer for summer camp?

We generally see the glass half full and do our best to make lemonade with lemons. That’s why we’re here today with ideas on how to make an alternative to sleep away summer camp at your home this summer. Here are 5 tips for at-home camp!

5 Tips for DIY AT HOME Summer Camp

Tip 1: ESTABLISH THE RULES

The first key to success is establishing some rules and guidelines that feel like camp.  Choose the dates that you are running camp. During those dates, consider a household ban on electronics. That means no phones and no tv/movies, unless planned for movie night as your evening activity.  One of the things we love about sending our children to summer camp is that they get the chance to unplug all summer!

Tip 2: MAKE A SCHEDULE

Similarly, make a schedule. At camp, you have a designated wake-up time and bedtime. (We miss revile and taps already!)  Plan out your daily activities in blocks of time with the kids. Soccer, Lacrosse, Arts & Crafts are easy to do at home (and you can even try getting help with some virtual options like this one: www.craftswithamanda.weebly.com). You can even establish a play to work on and have drama. Have the children write their own play or search online for scripts that you can replicate. Depending on your age of your kids, you can participate in these activities too.

Tip 3: PLAN YOUR MEALS

Meal planning makes everything easier, especially if you are planning a camp.  What are your children’s favorite meals at camp?  Consider reaching out to their camp for the recipe. Whether it’s sloppy joes or oreo cream pie, they may be happy to give you the recipe or you can look it up at improvise.  Does your children’s camp have canteen in the evening? Can you replicate it at home? Get creative!

Tip 4: CREATE EVENING ACTIVITIES

As part of your scheduling and planning, get input from your children about their favorite evening activities and put them on the agenda. Whether it’s “Sing” or “Carnival”, they can get excited about recreating some of the magic at home.   Nothing has to be fancy. Your living room CAN be transformed into a stage for talent shows!  Use old Halloween costumes for dress-up and performances.

Tip 5: KEEP SOME TRADITIONS ALIVE

Anyone who has been to camp knows that traditions are what make camp --- well….. camp! How can you keep some of the traditions alive? Whether it’s ”giving out fuzzies” to announce a good deed of one of your “campers,” singing songs impromptu, or having a family color war – we’re confident you can bring some camp traditions into your home.  You could even consider getting an autograph pillow and having everyone sign at the end.  Be sure to take pictures throughout. These are memories that you are creating that you will want to remember forever. 

 

Though 2020 has had its challenges, we know there are many people who are also finding ways to be grateful and see the silver lining. More time at home with our families is definitely on that list. While we all have major FOMO on summer camp this year, with a little creativity and planning – you can make memories at home, too.

Post any pics of your at-home camp to our Facebook @morethanpaper!

Outdoor Entertaining Tips and Tricks for Summer 2020

A Backyard Event

After many of us have been isolated for months, we are slowly starting to re-emerge into society.  In many parts of our country, social distancing is still a thing.  But we are craving interaction with others and a great way to do that safely is by spending time together outdoors.  Summer days, especially those that end with a nice evening breeze, are perfect for outdoor dining. To help you prepare for your next fabulous backyard event, here are some tips and tricks for making entertaining easy!

 

A Theme & Décor Sets the Mood

Pick a theme that incorporates a unique color scheme and summer nostalgia. Establish your theme by planning each detail ahead of time. Having a playful theme will help you determine what you will use to set the table, what time of day is right for your outdoor dining experience, and, most importantly, what your guests will be eating and drinking.

Have fun when deciding your decorative colors, the event name for your invite text or invitation, and even the dinner playlist that will get everyone excited. Find music that will really set the scene for a memorable meal. You might choose oldies, French jazz tunes, summer hits, or an ambient chill playlist. 

For family gatherings, think bright colors. You can go with patriotic pastimes and get into the red, white, and blue. Plan a poolside dinner with pink flamingos and large monstera leaves lining your patio. You might prefer French country styles with blue and white everything. For a low-key party of adult friends, you may want to stick to neutral tones, like beige and creamy peach hues. You could even bring a splash of energy to a simple sophisticated set-up with some fresh lemons to provide a yellow accent.

Stock Up

Set up a well-stocked bar area. Throw plenty of extra drinks in the cooler to keep everyone hydrated. Fill the cooler with drinks for the kids, including bottled water, soda or flavored sparkling water. Mark a section for adult beverages only. Next to your cooler set-up, have koozies, bottle openers and an ice bucket on deck. Just wait until the last minute to add ice to your custom monogrammed ice bucket.

Incorporate fresh colors and your evening’s theme into the decor by selecting a matching tablecloth, linen napkins and choice dishware. Skip the glass to avoid items crashing onto the patio and breaking. Instead, opt for a lightweight set of dishes. Consider personalized melamine plates customized to complement the colors of your patio furniture.

Serving trays and cutting boards are great for transporting a group of items that need to go outside. You can use your lucite Dabney Lee trays to bring out items for setting the table, then later load up the trays with food at meal time!  These melamine platters not only add color to your table, they are great for serving food as well – especially side dishes!

 

Just Grill

Prepare the grill station for the family’s favorite BBQ chef. Have all of your grilling tools ready for business. Use a practical grilling set that includes all the necessities: tongs, fork and a spatula. Station aluminum foil, a roll of paper towels and some mesquite spices nearby. Really get into the BBQ mood by making sure your cook is outfitted with a perfectly cheesy “kiss the cook” style apron. Bonus points if the sassy apron has the grill-master’s name front and center.

 

Light It Up

Have a plan for lighting: Consider using decorative lanterns, twinkle lights, or tiki torches depending on your backyard aesthetic. Some small white candles can add romance to an ordinary patio table. There is nothing quite like the ambiance created from the soft light of candles. Citronella candles are a great added touch to keep the bugs off your guests.

Outdoor entertaining has all the festivity of a meal out but with the comforts of home. Start planning your theme and table setting for the next holiday or event on your calendar. Whether your invite list includes the family or your favorite friends, you are sure to have a wonderful night once your patio table is set to impress.

 

Meet Debbie

We are back to blogging and it feels so good! You may notice our last post was November 2017.  A lot has changed in three years, but plenty has stayed the same.  One of those things? More Than Paper is still online bringing you the best in stationery, paper, and personalized gifts–just like we have been since 2000.  We wanted to introduce you to the woman who has been the driving force behind More Than Paper and its success – meet our founder and owner, Debbie Volk!

How it all started

Debbie is a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, with a Bachelor of Science in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Decision Sciences. Earlier in her career, she was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. 

When she and her husband of nearly 28 years, Judd, were starting their family, she left Morgan Stanley to focus on being a mom.  Three years later, she started looking for an entrepreneurial business that she could do from home while also caring for her young son. 

Her mother-in-law had been in the invitation business for over 30 years and suggested the possibility of retailing stationery to friends and family as an income source. Debbie went to her first National Stationery Show in NYC in 1999.  She realized then that owning a paper/gift store would allow her to marry her finance background and her love of being creative.  Being a mother of a toddler and with another baby on the way, opening a brick and mortar store wasn’t an option and even seeing clients in person was becoming challenging.  She had just learned to build a website for her husband’s business, so it was relatively easy to get a website up and running (remember it was 2000 and websites were a lot less sophisticated back then).  That is how More Than Paper became an ecommerce business! 

What it is today

Today, More Than Paper prides itself on having a huge selection (tens of thousands of products) of stationery and gifts found on an easy to navigate website, www.morethanpaper.com – all at great prices.  She typically lists merchandise 20% below manufacturer’s suggested retail pricing every single day.  No coupons or codes or flash sales – just everyday great prices.  

More than just selection and price, Debbie & team offer more service than many other online stores. It doesn’t matter if a customer is buying address labels for $16 or holiday cards for $500, Debbie and her team are willing to spend time and go the extra mile to make the customer happy.  It’s not unusual for her to pick up the phone and hear a customer say, “Oh, I am so glad that a human picked up!” With so many companies investing in overseas chats and burying customer service phone numbers on their websites, Debbie is more than happy to speak to customers. Curating the right purchase and ensuring customers get exactly what they want is what she’s all about.

What else it offers

You’ll notice that there are tens of thousands of products at More Than Paper, and she and her team are constantly adding new ones from their manufacturers.  New, trendy products are balanced out with timeless classics.  Trends are followed via industry publications, watching fashion trends, and of course via relationships with manufacturers.  Debbie has always placed a strong emphasis on keeping strong relationships with her manufacturers who introduce new products all the time.

Debbie has learned a lot since opening in 1999. To do it right takes a tremendous effort, an attention to detail, a willingness to take chances and great customer service. She says, “operating a retail website is really a 24/7, 365-day job since the internet is never closed, and you need to commit to that obligation to make it through the inevitable ups and downs of business cycles.”

Outside of her online business, Debbie is passionate about her family; she has three children–Ethan (23), Brian (20), Amanda (16). She also loves singing and performing in local musical theater.  It’s clear that this smart, dynamic woman has built a business that fits her lifestyle, education, and passion and she has been able to help thousands of people with their life occasions.

What’s ahead?

With years of expertise in the stationery industry, Debbie has amassed tips and tricks that she will be sharing.  Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to our email list for the latest.

Thankful Treats!

Here at More Than Paper, we have so much for which to be thankful!  One of our annual traditions to begin celebrating Thanksgiving week is to make Chocolate Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats!  Someone shared this recipe with us years ago, and we have been enjoying making them for more than 18 years!  These are so adorable and are enjoyed by young and old alike!

Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats

Ingredients:

24 Chocolate-striped shortbread cookies (such as Keebler Fudge Shoppe cookies)

12-oz. package of chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semi-sweet)

24 large marshmallows

1 tube of yellow decorators frosting with small piping tip

How to prepare:

1. Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray.

2. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler (if microwaving, use approx. 20 sec intervals and be sure to mix the chips in between each heating).

3. One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it atop a cookie (I scraped the bottom of the marshmallow a bit with the back edge of a knife to remove excess).

4. Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.

5. Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

6.  Keep refrigerated until ready to eat!

Need some great personalized napkins or platters to use for serving these wonderful treats?  Here are some ideas:

Personalized Napkins

Personalized Melamine Platter

Get Organized for 2015

When the holidays are over, do you get a surge of energy to organize like we do? A new year and we turn over a new leaf.  This is going to be the year we REALLY get organized. More Than Paper makes it easy (and kind of fun!) to get all of your appointments, work schedules, sports schedules, grocery lists, to-do lists, and more with a variety of calendars and agendas. Check out some of our favorites for 2015!

This stylish design by Boatman Geller is an all time favorite of ours. Personalize it with each member of your family and write down happenings for the week so everyone is on the same page.

One of the best prices out there for an agenda, don't forget about Reminder Binder. Only $7.49 for an entire year of planning!

We love this chore chart. It's perfect for getting the kids organized, too.

Organize the sports, school, and after school schedules with a personalized agenda for kids! 

How handy is this carpool schedule? 

This is perfect for keeping track of after school activities! 

More Than Paper has a huge selection of organizers and agendas, so be sure to check them all out on our website! Happy Organizing from More Than Paper. 

Happy New Year!